Such articulated connecting parts are installed between two piping elements of a pipe assembly which are generally in alignment with each other, for the purpose of allowing angular and also axial movements of one element with respect to another, and to obtain a counter decoupling regarding the transfer of vibrations and sounds between the piping elements. This invention is especially appropriate for application in the exhaust systems of vehicles, and the following text will in general refer to this application without restricting the field of application of the subject of this invention. Usually, the piping elements to be connected with each other, or their ends, are pipes with smooth surfaces. Connecting flanges, however, are appropriate for this application as well. The piping elements have, in general, circular cross-sectional areas which are coaxial towards the corresponding piping element, the piping element having a circular cross-sectional area as well. Cross-sectional areas of other shapes, however, are also possible, e.g. an oval cross-sectional area of the piping elements, with a cross-sectional area of the corresponding tube element being adapted to the same.
The flexible tube element can, in this special case, be a single- or multi-ply corrugated pipe, a bellows, a tightly stripwound hose or a similar part, with the material being selected according to the existing requirements. In the exhaust systems of vehicles, these parts and also the other components of the connecting element will be made of metal, unless an express note is made on the following pages that another type of metal is required. Annularly corrugated metal hoses are an especially preferable solution with respect to the tube element.
In the case of the connecting element previously mentioned, the ends of the supporting parts facing each other are equipped with metal wire cushions inserted in the radial connecting attachments formed by the supporting parts, with the connecting attachments being pressed against the metal wire cushions and thus against each other by brackets mounted from outside. This connection type provides a relatively rigid coupling of the supporting parts which results in a relatively low decoupling of vibrations and sounds. Furthermore, the degree of mobility of such a connecting element is quite low, and there is the danger that the mounted brackets will slip off, thus causing the breaking of the connection of the supporting parts with each other. Finally, the degree of mobility of the traditional version can only be adjusted to a limited extent.